I am never a fan of just doing blanket things like saying "we'll implement them all". Maybe some of the ideas aren't necessary to implement. However, this one is.

So, let me be blunt:

Dear Democrats,

Overhauling Congress (both in ethics and 9/11 reforms) was one of the main reasons I supported you this election cycle, as did many others. We worked hard for you. We own you. Do not %#@$ with us. If you can't make the hard decisions that will be slightly uncomfortable for you in Congress, then what the hell good are you? You will lose again in '08 if you don't come through in the next two years.

Try doing something for the good of the country instead of consolidating your own power. We had enough of that crap over the last 12 years. That is why the Republicans are no longer in charge. Never forget that you won this election, not because you are Democrats, but because you are not Republicans. You have two years to get people to support you because you are Democrats. The best way to do that is NOT to start doing the same crap that got the Republicans booted in the first place.

Love,

Me

PS: I was talking to my brother right after the election and we agreed one of the best things about the Democrats winning was that we could now criticize both sides. Just attacking Republicans (though 100% justified) for everything made us feel like nut-balls. It feels good to be equal opportunity again. Enjoy.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Evening Chuckle: Cough, Cough, Mitochondria

Charities

Reading the Liberal Progressive this evening reminded me of something I've been meaning to do: link to some charities.

The two I recommend the most are:

The American Cancer Society: they are a huge organization and, as such, are capable of a making a large impact on the research and treatment of many different kinds of cancers. Cancer is a nightmare. This is a great place to donate.

Save the Children: Over 90% of donations to StC go directly to program services. They did a lot of work following the 2004 tsunami. They do a lot of good for the most helpless people in the world. You can also sponsor a child.

I'll be putting permanent links to these two in the sidebar. If you are looking for a place to donate some money this holiday season, you would be hard pressed to find more worthy recipients.

Saudi Intervention in Iraq: American Lifeline or Harbinger of WWIII?

I'm not sure if this is a threat or an offer but I say we take them up on it.

The Saudis want to defend Iraqi Sunnis from genocide at the hands of Iranian supported Iraqi Shiite militias. They are prepared to send in troops (including exiled Baathist Iraqi military) AND flood the worldwide oil market with supply sufficient to cut the price per barrel in half!

The biggest problem with us leaving Iraq is the power vacuum we will leave behind. If the Saudis step in they will significantly mitigate that problem. (Of course, the Saudis aren't exactly a freedom loving Iran/Syria alternative but this mess doesn't have a Disney ending.) Additionally, the House of Saud is no friend of al-Qaeda, so their small presence amongst the Iraqi Sunnis would be quickly eliminated in deference to the new Saudi patrons.

Overall, this is the best news I have heard out of the region in a while...which is very sad considering that Saudi intervention would possibly result in a regional war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

So, yes, the potential opening rhetorical salvo of WWIII is the best news from the Middle East in a while.

UPDATE: Journalist Fired for Reporting Truth

Just to put a bow on the story I wrote about the other day, Paul Thacker has landed on his feet (no surprise) following his ridiculous dismissal from the journal Environmental Science & Technology for a series of investigative reports (one of which he won second prize for Outstanding Online Journalism from the Society of Environmental Journalists but most especially because of this one on the Bush administration misleading the public about climate change).

Paul has a new job with Inside Higher Ed. I look forward to reading his work there in the future.

Also, I found online video of the episode of America's Investigative Reports about Paul, check it out here (scroll down to the bottom, Nov. 10, 2006 Science Fiction).

It is sad and terrifying, just like everything else I read/watch. Enjoy.

New Direction

Well, first I need to apologize for the lack of posting lately. I've been doing a pretty weak job since the election. However, Tokatakiya passed the 5000 visitor mark just the other day. I'm pretty proud of that since my other blog (ROBBLOG), which is 6 months older, only recently passed 3300 hits. The election gave this blog purpose and direction.

But the election is over, so now what?

As some of you will recall, I quit my job as a freelance science writer to volunteer full-time for the Webb campaign. Some people thought I was wasting my time. Given the result (and the margin of victory), I think my decision was justified. (Especially in light of the boat-rocking Webb looks poised to do in the Senate. The President is going to have to get used to a Senator who doesn't roll over and wet himself every time Bush says 'Boo'. What a shame.) However, since the election is over, it is time to go back to work. I recently accepted a full-time, go-to-an-office position that will require me to quickly become well-versed in all things HIV/AIDS. This job will be in support of an HIV information dissemination website (among other things), so I'm excited to work on expanding the reach of the site to help educate the public on prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. (I want to use as much "New-media" capabilities as possible so, if you have any ideas in this regard, please leave them in the comments. Thanks.)

As such, this blog will probably contain significantly more on HIV/AIDS than I have covered in the past. This is at least as important an issue as any I have previously dealt with here, especially in light of the fact that AIDS is poised to become the third leading killer worldwide in the next 25 years. This is a great opportunity for me career-wise and, more importantly, it will allow me to have an impact on one of the biggest health threats the world now faces. This is not where I envisioned myself (believe me) but it is an exciting new path.

I haven't started yet so I will be staying mum until I get more details.

In other Tokatakiya related news, I am going to try to get back on a nightly "Evening Chuckle" schedule, put up a new "Trivia Quiz for Manhood" (the current edition of which is still open for competition - step right up!), and try to revive my "Today in Science" feature. I will also put up substantive posts on a variety of issues more regularly. (Although not as regular as during the campaign, of course.)

Thanks for your support and please continue reading. I'm not going anywhere.

Thanksgiving Chuckle: Adam Sandler

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Asia Rising

Fareed Zakaria says that the economic ascendance of Asia will determine the future of the 21st century and that the US's Middle East misadventure is distracting us from playing the kind of role we should be in the process.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Double Murderer Will NOT Be Allowed to Brag About Being a Double Murderer

I watched most of this trial with my Dad over the summer between High School graduation and starting college. I remember hearing people in my dorm cheer when he was found not guilty. One of my friend's professor's put it best: "I think the LAPD framed a guilty man."

OJ Simpson was found responsible for the two deaths in a civil trial and should be living in a gutter but for the fact that he has hidden his financial assets so that they can't be claimed to pay the civil damages. It is entirely appropriate that he should not be allowed to benefit from his crime.

The OJ Simpson trial was a sad example of American justice. It illustrated that if you have money you can buy injustice. Simpson's lawyers convinced an intellectually weak jury that an obviously guilty man was innocent. The incompetent LA district attorney's office could not convict a guilty man with a mountain of evidence. As Chris Rock said, "If OJ was poor he'd be Orenthal the Bus-driving murderer." Sad, sad, sad.

Where Else Will the Soldiers Come From?

First of all, in case you are reality impaired, this has no chance of passing.

Secondly, if we stay in Iraq with no plan to significantly reduce troop levels, we will eventually need to institute a draft. Its simple math. We get out relatively soon or we get more soldiers.

Finally, the response to this blows my mind. It reminds me of what I think was the single greatest failing of the Bush Administration (which is saying something) immediately after 9/11: they refused to ask the American people to sacrifice for the war on terror. We were told to be good little consumers, to take our tax cuts and go shopping, leave the war to someone else. We missed the opportunity to become a stronger, more unified nation by fostering a more urgent sense of public service. Now, the most difficult decision most people face is what color "Support the Troops" ribbon to put on the back of their SUV.

My bottom line is this: if the war on terror really is a struggle for the future of civilization (as has been suggested by the Bush Administration) then shouldn't we use every resource at our disposal to fight it?

The President of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) detailed many of the insidious provisions of HR6164 in an open letter (pdf) to the HELP committee's ranking member, Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass).

"After careful review and modeling of future NIH budget scenarios, AASLD has concluded that the NIH Reform Act of 2006 will deal a sever and crushing blow to the future of biomedical research in this country. Damage to the research enterprise will result in the permanent loss of investigators and technical support staff from our academic centers with an inevitable negative impact on America's position as the world's leader in basic, translational and clinical research and as the creator of much-needed high paying, technology jobs in our country.

Several provisions of HR6164 will negatively impact our ability to develop the new diagnostics, treatments and, ultimately, cures:

For the first time ever, this legislation places a cap on the amount of funding Congress can appropriate to NIH by replacing the existing "such sums" language with hard limits. Had this bill been in effect from 1998 to 2003, the will of Congress to double the NIH budget would have been thwarted, and our current funding levels would never have been achieved.

The legislation creates a "Common Fund" by siphoning off money from the institutes and centers. Under provisions of the bill, 50 percent of any increase in NIH funding would go to the Common Fund; but 100 percent of any reduction would be borne by the institutes and centers - and thus by peer-reviewed research.

The budget of the Director's Office at NIH would be authorized at a level in excess of $1.0 billion (it is currently appropriated at $527 million). Again,this funding would come at the expense of the institutes and centers.

The authorization caps,when combined with the Common Fund and the Director's Office authorization level - and when controlled for biomedical research inflation - assures that NIH will not experience more than a 1 percent increase for the life of this bill, even if Congress appropriates the fully authorized amount - something it rarely does." [Emphasis mine.]

Make no mistake, crippling the NIH like this will have unimaginably damaging effects on the biomedical sciences for years, possible decades, to come.

This issue affects all Americans, every single one of us. The NIH provides the funding that fosters new treatments and cures, not to mention the many new biomedical start-ups that are built on discoveries made using NIH grant money. These start-ups create jobs. Not only is biomedical science THE growth industry of the 21st century but biomedical jobs will likely play a large part in replacing the manufacturing jobs that are being shipped overseas.

This bill is short sighted. It will reduce the quality and quantity of science performed in this country. It will reduce the number of new treatments, cures, and drugs discovered in this country. It will damage the short and long-term growth of biomedical industry in this country at a time when job growth is (and will be) sorely needed.

The good news is that this bill has not yet been passed.

Here is a list of the Senators who sit on the HELP committee and whose votes are crucial to killing this bill. If you live in a state represented by one of the Senators on the HELP committee, I urge you to use the link above to write them and request that they vote against HR6164. If you don't live in one of these states, please contact your Senator and request that they vote against HR6164 (and urge their colleagues to vote against it) if it makes it to a floor vote.

This isn't just legislation that will hurt scientists in their ivory towers, this will affect every man, woman, and child in the United States. (Very likely much of the rest of the world as well.) Please take this seriously and please take the time to write a note to your Senator to kill this bill.

YSK Outrage: Investigative Journalist Fired for Reporting the Truth!

A couple of months ago I wrote about a story on Salon.com that was written by a friend of mine from my grad school days. It detailed the Bush Administration's attempts to dictate what government scientists told the public about global warming.

Now, I read this morning that Paul was fired by his employer the journal Environmental Science & Technology (which is run by the American Chemical Society) for pursuing the story.

Shame on the ACS. These are big issues with which Paul is dealing. Dishonesty from our government should not be tolerated. This is especially so when government withholds information from it's citizens that they need to make informed decisions on important policy issues. In this case, the issue of global climate change.

People will never accept some of the steps that need to be taken to combat climate change unless our government tells them the truth.

Thank God people like Paul are out there exposing this type of incredibly damaging deception.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Senator-elect Webb's Nebraska Days

As I have mentioned before, he went to High School in Omaha and started boxing there.

"Jim Webb first made news in The World-Herald in January 1963 as a 16-year-old Bellevue High School student about to fight in his first Golden Gloves boxing match.

Thursday, he was back in the paper: on the front page, after being declared the winner of the Virginia Senate race - which gave the Democrats control of Congress.

Webb's family lived in the Omaha area from 1960 to 1963 when his father, military officer James H. Webb Sr., was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base.

While here, the younger Webb attended Bellevue High School - now Bellevue East. He graduated from the school in 1963.

After leaving Nebraska, Webb served in the U.S. Marines and has worked as a lawyer, an author and a screenwriter. He served under President Reagan as assistant defense secretary and secretary of the Navy.

Webb's senior yearbook lists him as having been involved in a number of school activities: honor roll, student council, football, basketball, track, speech, Spanish club, Latin club and baseball.

On top of all that, Webb took up boxing while in the area.

His coach was retired Air Force Sgt. Harley Cooper of Omaha, who won Golden Gloves national championships in 1963 and '64.

Webb didn't share in that success in his first boxing match, on Jan. 25, 1963, at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.

Fighting at 135 pounds, he lost on a split decision, World-Herald archives say.

But it wasn't necessarily Webb's boxing ability that impressed Wally Provost, then the World-Herald's sports editor.

Provost wrote in a Jan. 23, 1963, column that Webb was "handsome, intelligent and very much aware of the excitement of his life."

"People such as young Jim Webb pleasantly amaze me," Provost wrote.

So, I am officially declaring Senator-elect Webb a Husker. I am not sure which is the greater honor, being elected Senator or being from Nebraska.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Evening Chuckle: My Favorite Ad

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Congratulations, Senator-Elect Webb!

Well, its all over but the horribly protracted recount.

However, 700080007347 9326 votes is just too many to overcome.

In 2004, everybody thought Bush was going to lose (thanks a lot, exit polls). When he won, I was not happy. However, once it was called, I sucked it up and got my mind around the fact that he was going to be President for 4 more years. A lot of people whined and complained but I just accepted the reality.

That is what I suggest the Republicans do now.

Congress has changed hands. Both chambers. Accept it and move on.

Everybody in Washington needs to realize that Americans have spoken and they want change.

IT IS TIME FOR BOTH PARTIES TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY.

Timpani Roll: Election Eve

I made 232 calls from home for Jim Webb today!

Today's top 5 phone from home callers are over 1000 calls as of 7:30 pm!

Just let me say that I want to stop. I hate talking on the phone...to anyone...for any reason. However, something keeps me on the phone. It is the fact that I know Jim Webb must win this race. It is right. It is good for Virginia, America, the world, and the future.

That is my conviction. It is what I know to be true.

The dirty voter suppression tactics that are going on in Northern Virginia only steel my resolve.

I'm tired.

I'm sick of calling.

But, I'll be on the phone again tomorrow and, after tomorrow, it'll all be over.

Remember that if you get tired, or sick of calling, or God forbid, overconfident.

Oh and let's not forget, Jim Webb was right about Iran and right about North Korea. Wouldn't it be nice if the people making foreign policy in this country got something right once in a while? George Allen is on the foreign relations committee and all he knows about foreign policy is what the White House tells him (and their foreign policy track record stinks). He blindly follows along...and the world is worse off for it.

The reality is that we need to follow Jim Webb's plan to redeploy our troops outside of Iraq and contain the Iraqi civil war so that it doesn't spill over into Iran, Syria, (or our allies) Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. This will mean negotiating with Iran and Syria about the future security of Iraq. This needs to happen so we must get past the irresponsible "Axis of Evil" rhetoric.

We already don't control Iraq or it's politicians. The Shiite leadership is using the US troops as a means of not including the Sunnis in the government in a meaningful way. As long as our troops are there to protect them, they will never be forced to reconcile.

Also, if we continue the Bush/Cheney/Allen plan of "stay the course" and "full speed ahead", we will continue to decimate our armed forces. This will inevitably necessitate a draft.

The only honest conclusion to any debate about Iraq or National Security between George Allen and Jim Webb is obvious: Jim Webb wins hands down. He is a decorated combat veteran and he has real world experience regarding foreign policy. Allen can not hold a candle to Jim Webb in this area.

So, if you believe that the Iraq War and the War on Terror are the defining issues of our day, Jim Webb should be your choice for US Senate. It's not even close. We've had enough (faux) cowboy diplomacy. It is time we had leaders who study the problems, consider the consequences of actions, and make rational decisions.

Webb v. Allen Clip Show: Allen Has No Energy Plan

George Allen wanted to make his "Energy independence" "plan" the cornerstone of his (soon-to-be-failed) re-election bid and, presumably, for his (soon-to-never-happen) Presidential run.

However, "his" "plan" was cobbled together from already submitted legislation. Basically, he stole it, just like he stole Illinois Dick Durbin's amendment back in September.

The cornerstone of his plan was, of course, drilling in ANWR. Regardless of whether we should drill there or not, this is not a strategy for energy independence. This is putting a band-aid on a broken leg.

He also (yet again) flip-flopped on supporting ethanol when he decided he needed to be for it to win Presidential primary votes in Iowa. On wonders if, now that his Presidential ambitions are all-but-dead, "Senator" Allen would now support ethanol? (Fortunately, when we vote him out on November 7th, we won't have to find out.)

Finally, Allen supported giving huge tax breaks to the oil industry while they were making record profits! He blindly rubber-stamped the Bush/Cheney energy plan which was written by the oil industry behind closed doors!

Jim Webb will make sure that large corporations (like the oil companies) pay their fair share. He understands the volatility of the Middle East and the importance of making the US less beholden to that region.

I wrote this post after President Bush vetoed the Stem Cell bill which would have had allowed Federal funds to be used for embryonic stem cell research. It applies particularly well to Allen's hypocrisy vis-a-vis embryonic stem cells and in vitro fertilization which he demonstrated in the FCCC debate.

Timpani Roll: I Broke 2K!!!

I made 255 calls from home for Jim Webb today!

And boy is my throat tired. But seriously, this was a good day. I broke my goal of 2000 calls and now I'm going to try and obliterate it. A lot of people are very excited about Jim Webb. People believe he will win...and they are right.

However, only if we keep working.

We are getting close (thank God) and it'll all be over soon. So, there is no reason not to totally burn yourself out on GOTV. We can all rest on Wednesday.

And, yet again, Allen singled out the only dark-skinned person in a crowd and told him "Welcome to America" and repeatedly called him the M-word, a French-Tunisian racial slur that, despite his protestations, he more than likely learned from his French-Tunisian mother.

Speaking of his mother, once it was revealed that Allen has Jewish heritage (which is such a non-issue as to be utterly ridiculous) Allen felt it necessary to prove his "Gentile street cred" by telling reporters that he had a "ham sandwich for lunch".

Let's not forget the accusations from multiple sources that, to paraphrase Chris Rock in the movie "CB4", Allen used the N-word like it was his last name.

He scheduled fundraiser with President Bush was on the same day as the President campaigned with an alleged mistress strangler. This resulted in an entire day of Allen's problems being equated with someone accused of (I'll say it again) strangling his mistress.

Let's Go!

I spent yesterday in a sinus flu induced coma. As such I was unable to make any calls for Jim Webb.

Today, I am fueled by a mix of DayQuil, Vitamin C, and some sort of fish paralyzer. So, basically, good to go.

Sick or not, there is no more time to waste. I'm back on the phones today (hopefully, I will sound somewhat coherent).

However, I just wanted to let you know what I have planned between now and election day.

I'll be pulling up groupings of posts that I have written about certain issues and putting them up again. They were relevant in August and September, they are relevant now. (This doesn't mean I won't write anything new but I want to spend most of my time now on Get Out the Vote.)

So, stay tuned for that.

One piece of good news: Allen is broke. His attack dogs are freaked and the National Republicans are not happy about having to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to try (in vain) to save Allen's seat.

Another Day, Another Pile of Reasons to Vote Webb

"Senator" Allen will be questioned for the Mike Stark assault case. Incredibly, Allen is blaming Webb for the incident where Allen supporters manhandled a jerk asking a question. Not as incredible? Allen offers no evidence of Webb's involvement (because there is none). [Emphasis mine.]

"'It was typical of the Webb campaign, wanting to provoke an incident,' Allen said Wednesday. He did not say why he believes the Webb campaign provoked the stunt."

What are the Senate Candidates Positions on Cuba Policy?

My wife (who is half Cuban) has wanted me to write this post for a while, so here goes.

Fidel Castro is apparently still alive. However, this time, he's on his way out. As such, some people are preparing for the argument that will ensue when he is finally gone: what should the US's Cuba policy be Post-Fidel? (I have written about this a couple of times over the last few months.)

I will reiterate that I think the time to end the embargo is now while things are in some turmoil with the Cuban government. Why is it OK to trade with China and Vietnam but not Cuba? Does a policy have to fail for a full 50 years before it can be re-thought?

I would like to know what the candidate's positions are on this issue. If anyone can enlighten me I would appreciate it. (I believe that Allen supports the President's continued failed embargo policy. Surprise, surprise.) Anyhoo, let me know.

This is a valid question for Senate candidates as it will be an issue that they will definitely have to deal with during the next 6 year term.

God forbid they talk about that. As bad as this Republican administration and Congress have been for America, the media has done us a larger disservice. 24 hour tabloids, that is what they have devolved into.

Next, Joe Scarborough is going to ask if negative ads work by showing a bunch of negative ads...on national television...for free. How much free play do positive ads get on "news" networks?

None.

Here's a novel idea, try presenting the public with facts about issues that will affect their lives and their votes.